Page 131 of You Had Me At Thirteen

I’m pacing my living room, my phone to my ear as I listen to Matilda’s voicemail for the hundredth goddamn time this afternoon.

She was supposed to be here at five and yet, here I am, an hour later, calling her over and over. Something is definitely up.

We parted ways after school since she had training, and she said she’d see me later. We hadn’t fought. At least I didn’t think we had, and I’m sure she isn’t pissed at me. Although, with Matilda, there’s a fine line.

First, I pull up Will’s number and wait for him to answer. ‘Hey, Wren. Everything okay?’

‘Hey, man,’ I say, rubbing the back of my neck. ‘I’m not sure, actually. Any luck on finding anything out about Eli?’

At lunch today, I gave Will a name and photo of Eli I snapped when he wasn’t looking at dinner two nights ago. After telling him about the shit my dad’s got himself into, Will told me he’d try to find out anything that may give me some sort of idea on what Eli is doing here, and who the fuck he really is.

‘Not yet,’ Will says. ‘I’m having a little trouble, but I’m getting there. Why? What’s going on?’

Blowing out a breath, I try to calm my stomach. It doesn’t work because I can’t shake the feeling something is fucking really wrong here. ‘It might be nothing, but I don’t know where Matilda is.’

Will almost growls. ‘What do you mean you don’t know where she is?’

‘Well… fuck. She’s supposed to be here by now, but she’s not answering her phone.’

‘Right,’ Will says, tapping away at his keyboard. ‘I’ll see what I can find. You find Matilda.’

‘Thanks, man.’ I hang up and bring up the next number. Audrey’s.

‘Hey, Wren,’ Audrey says. ‘What’s up?’

‘Hey. Is Matilda with you?’

‘No, I thought she was supposed to meet you?’

‘I can’t get a hold of her. Listen, if she calls, tell her she’s in big trouble.’

‘Will do.’

Audrey doesn’t sound worried, so maybe I’m overreacting. But I can’t shake the feeling something bad has happened. Call it instinct, or whatever, but this isn’t like Matilda to not show up, or not call me if she’s running late.

I hang up and pull up Clive’s number. He takes longer to answer.

‘Hello, Mr. Stevenson,’ he says. ‘What do I owe this pleasure?’

‘Clive, I don’t have time for your theatrics…’

He scoffs. ‘Rude. What do you want then?’

I roll my eyes, not that he can see me. ‘Is Matilda with you?’

‘No, she—’

‘Ok. Thanks.’

If Matilda isn’t with either of her two best friends, I don’t know where else she could be.

Are my worst nightmares coming true?DoesEli have something to do with this?

Shit, I might be grasping at straws here, but damn it. I should have warned her days ago when I suspected he was shady as fuck. But it’s all circumstantial at the moment. At least until Will tells me otherwise, I don’t know he’s a threat for sure.

Next thing is to check her house, so I head out the door and over to Matilda’s house, knocking twice. A few seconds later, Sue answers the door.

She smiles and waves me in. ‘Wren, hi, sweetheart. Matilda isn’t home yet. But you can wait here.’

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